Communications Minister Jorge Rodriguez said in an address on state television Wednesday that Maduro decided the public sector would resume work on Thursday, although state schools would remain closed for an extra day.

The return of Guaido, recognised by most Western nations as Venezuela’s legitimate head of state, signals that Maduro’s adversaries have at least temporarily avoided the arrest of a leader who has united the traditionally fractured opposition.

Maduro hit back in an interview broadcast the same day, saying the meeting was aimed at setting up a parallel government and accusing the US of coveting his country's oil and being willing to go to war to get it.

The official declined to comment on what the new measures would entail ahead of Pence’s speech, to be delivered to a summit of the Lima Group around 10:30am EST (1530 GMT) after he meets with Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido.